Drone wanted for job in Roi Et

[WormFarmer]

Does anyone have, or know of anyone in Roi Et, who has a drone. I want to get a rope to the top of a dead tree 35m high which I want to cut down. I need the rope to attach to a tractor to ensure that the tree falls the right way.

The tree is not safe to climb and if it falls it could demolish either some building or my swimming pool, but because of the law I cannot cut it down completely therefore I am going to "prune" it10m above ground.

Dead tree removal 1.docx

[Daffy D]

Sorry can't help

But I like your thinking

[SantiSuk]

Catapult a lead weight attached to a thin nylon line?

[Toknarok]

What law says you cannot fell it? When I purchased the land for my wife it was paddy with just one old growth tree on it. Sadly a few years later it was struck by lightening and the top was split in two. I hoped it would re-recuperate but it didn't and despite the local monk tying ribbons around it it was dangerous.

My wife went to the local amphur and explained the situation, that it was dangerous and likely to fall onto my buffalo shed at any time. In that case they said 'no ploblem'. Got a local wood merchant to fell it. He paid 5,000 baht for the wood.

Incidentally I counted the rings to estimate how old it was. Just over 220 years, quite a youngster really.

Edited January 8, 2016 by Toknarok

[DILLIGAD]

I don't believe a drone will do the task required. Most cannot carry anything remotely considered heavy.

[steven100]

you need a monkey to send up the tree ... like the one's who fetch coconuts.

or you need a proper bow & arrow , you tie a piece of string on the arrow ... shoot it over the branch then pull the rope up using the string.

or ... not a drone but one of those larger kit remote controlled helicopters .... tie the string onto the helicopter and have it fly around the top of the tree and back to you .... then tie the rope on and haul it around the tree using the string.

[farmerjo]

Crane and a man cage..

[WormFarmer]

What law says you cannot fell it? When I purchased the land for my wife it was paddy with just one old growth tree on it. Sadly a few years later it was struck by lightening and the top was split in two. I hoped it would re-recuperate but it didn't and despite the local monk tying ribbons around it it was dangerous.

My wife went to the local amphur and explained the situation, that it was dangerous and likely to fall onto my buffalo shed at any time. In that case they said 'no ploblem'. Got a local wood merchant to fell it. He paid 5,000 baht for the wood.

Incidentally I counted the rings to estimate how old it was. Just over 220 years, quite a youngster really.

The tree is (was) an indigenous sycamore tree - these I am told - are protected. If you cut one down without permission it's a 20,000 baht fine for the owner and 20,000 baht fine for whoever cuts it down. Even though it is dead, it would take a lot of "persuasion" to convince the authorities to allow us to cut it down because they will probably argue that it was our fault the tree died because we raised the land around it. We can however "prune" it.

Thanks for the other ideas of catapults, crossbows, monkeys etc. I don't have a source for any of those either. For the drone I would use the same idea as suggested for the bow and arrow, light string first to pull up a heavier rope. We are already looking into using a crane, depends on price and availability. We could use the crane to hold the top section whilst we cut and then lift it down - does away with the rope and tractor.

[Farma]

If you're in roiet there's bound to be plenty of village shops or local kids with shanghais/slingshot/catapults. A bit of fishing line with weight shot from a shanghai would be my way of approaching the problem.

[lostinisaan]

I'd try to find a company with a crane. Can't be that expensive, plus a chainsaw guy who can cut the damn thing in pieces starting at the top.

All you need is the Phujabaan's okay and the tree's past.

[Daffy D]

How about flying a kite over the tree and then letting it crash/land on the other side.

Those kite strings are strong nylon and could easily pull a larger rope up and over.

[WormFarmer]

If you're in roiet there's bound to be plenty of village shops or local kids with shanghais/slingshot/catapults. A bit of fishing line with weight shot from a shanghai would be my way of approaching the problem.

The tree is quite high and I doubt if a catapult or slingshot would be able to send a shot and line over the top. I attach a couple of screen shots from Google Earth Street View which show the height of the tree relative to its surroundings.

Dead Tree views.pdf

I'd try to find a company with a crane. Can't be that expensive, plus a chainsaw guy who can cut the damn thing in pieces starting at the top.

All you need is the Phujabaan's okay and the tree's past.

We're working on the crane option, trying to find one that can do the job.

How about flying a kite over the tree and then letting it crash/land on the other side.

Those kite strings are strong nylon and could easily pull a larger rope up and over.

That's a good idea Daffy, I must admit I hadn't thought of that. Trouble is there's not so much wind around these days but maybe I'll go and buy one and keep it handy for whenever there is a wind.

[lostinisaan]

If you're in roiet there's bound to be plenty of village shops or local kids with shanghais/slingshot/catapults. A bit of fishing line with weight shot from a shanghai would be my way of approaching the problem.

The tree is quite high and I doubt if a catapult or slingshot would be able to send a shot and line over the top. I attach a couple of screen shots from Google Earth Street View which show the height of the tree relative to its surroundings.

Dead Tree views.pdf

I'd try to find a company with a crane. Can't be that expensive, plus a chainsaw guy who can cut the damn thing in pieces starting at the top.

All you need is the Phujabaan's okay and the tree's past.

We're working on the crane option, trying to find one that can do the job.

How about flying a kite over the tree and then letting it crash/land on the other side.

Those kite strings are strong nylon and could easily pull a larger rope up and over.

That's a good idea Daffy, I must admit I hadn't thought of that. Trouble is there's not so much wind around these days but maybe I'll go and buy one and keep it handy for whenever there is a wind.

If you decide to use a kite ( of course having some wind) you could connect another string to the kite. Once the kite's in the right direction and you grab the second string, you can pull a rope down that's connected to the kite's nylon string.

I don't think that a kite would carry a heavy rope that's strong enough to do the job. All you need is some wind now. Good luck.

Edited January 9, 2016 by lostinisaan

[WormFarmer]

If you decide to use a kite ( of course having some wind) you could connect another string to the kite. Once the kite's in the right direction and you grab the second string, you can pull a rope down that's connected to the kite's nylon string.

I don't think that a kite would carry a heavy rope that's strong enough to do the job. All you need is some wind now. Good luck.

That's also a good addition to the kite concept thanks. Maybe I should invite all you clever people round for a kite flying day!

[farmerjo]

Out of left field,some helium in some ballons.Don't forget to attach a fishing rod.

But i think you should use a crane if you don't want any damage,you might find a 30 tonner with enough stick.

Edited January 9, 2016 by farmerjo

[WormFarmer]

Finally got the job done, yesterday !!

Edited March 26, 2016 by WormFarmer

[Daffy D]

Thanks for the update. Good to know the job got done without mishap

Just out of curiosity how much did it cost ?

[WormFarmer]

Total cost, for labour and hire of crane 10,000 Baht.

[lostinisaan]

Total cost, for labour and hire of crane 10,000 Baht.

Congratulations. Just curious. Did you try a kite, or a balloon before?

[WormFarmer]

Congratulations. Just curious. Did you try a kite, or a balloon before?

No. I never got around to it. The wind was never in the right direction and I didn't really have time to faff around with a kite. The crane seemed the safest bet.

Actually I didn't show everything on the photos above. After the first cut we did another cut, but the trunk was wider lower down and the chain saw only the legal 12" so the guy in the skip couldn't cut all the way through. When we tried to break it using a bit of sideways pull from the crane the tree trunk near to the bottom broke. It was clearly rotten, which is why I wanted to reduce the height anyway to obviate any damage if/when it fell over of it's own accord.

These photos show stage two.

This shows the bit of rotten trunk still standing

and this shows the bottom end of the fallen trunk

Edited March 26, 2016 by WormFarmer

[Daffy D]

So the whole tree was rotten and collapsed from the base anyway.

Think it's lucky you didn't try the kite or drone way as it could have turned out badly.

[WormFarmer]

So the whole tree was rotten and collapsed from the base anyway.

Think it's lucky you didn't try the kite or drone way as it could have turned out badly.

Not the whole tree, only the bottom part was rotten. Where we were cutting higher up the wood was sound. But I always was worried about he bottom and the risk of it falling,hence the pruning which turned into wholesale removal.

[Martyjustice]

TNT?

[Issangeorge]

This is how you do it.

[WormFarmer]

This is how you do it.

That's really skilled - any suggestions about where in LOS I could find someone with that skill, not to mention with a chain saw that size.

[Daffy D]

This is how you do it.

Brilliant

[HLover]

What law says you cannot fell it? When I purchased the land for my wife it was paddy with just one old growth tree on it. Sadly a few years later it was struck by lightening and the top was split in two. I hoped it would re-recuperate but it didn't and despite the local monk tying ribbons around it it was dangerous.

My wife went to the local amphur and explained the situation, that it was dangerous and likely to fall onto my buffalo shed at any time. In that case they said 'no ploblem'. Got a local wood merchant to fell it. He paid 5,000 baht for the wood.

Incidentally I counted the rings to estimate how old it was. Just over 220 years, quite a youngster really.

The tree is (was) an indigenous sycamore tree - these I am told - are protected. If you cut one down without permission it's a 20,000 baht fine for the owner and 20,000 baht fine for whoever cuts it down. Even though it is dead, it would take a lot of "persuasion" to convince the authorities to allow us to cut it down because they will probably argue that it was our fault the tree died because we raised the land around it. We can however "prune" it.

Thanks for the other ideas of catapults, crossbows, monkeys etc. I don't have a source for any of those either. For the drone I would use the same idea as suggested for the bow and arrow, light string first to pull up a heavier rope. We are already looking into using a crane, depends on price and availability. We could use the crane to hold the top section whilst we cut and then lift it down - does away with the rope and tractor.

Can you burn it or will that incur the same fine?